One of the simplest things you can do to drop your household expenses and make your budget work is to save where you can. There are a lot of things we know we can do such as cutting back on dining out or using coupons at the store. However, there is more you can do!

You can’t live without utilities. Imagine your life without electricity or water. And then, you have your cell phone, cable (or streaming services) and gas or propane. Utilities are just as essential as a roof over your head and food.

There are ways you can lower your utility bills, but it may require a little effort on your part. These 50 ideas will help you save money — because every little bit can help!

HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON UTILITIES

Of course, if you want to negotiate on your own, that is always an option. However, there are more things you can do to save money on your monthly bills. We’ve rounded up more than 25 simple ideas you can try – most of which cost absolutely NOTHING for you to do!

1. Adjust your thermostat

2. Invest in the right thermostat

If you want to see significant savings, invest in a programmable thermostat. According to the Department of Energy, you can save as much as 10% a year just by upgrading your thermostat. Those savings will quickly pay for the initial cost, turning this into a real money-saving method.

Make sure you find one you can program seven days a week. It is also wise to set your thermostat to adjust to your comfortable room setting around 3 or 4 pm — before peak consumption kicks in at around 5 pm. If you don’t want to deal with making the adjustment on your own, investing in a Nest Learning Thermostat is an even better option. Nest thermostats learn your living habits and will adjust the settings automatically for you (it’s a pretty smart device if you ask me).

3. Don’t block vents

It may be tempting to slide your sofa over the vent on the floor or the cold air return on the wall. But don’t. For your system to run efficiently, it needs air flow. Putting items in front or on top of your vents reduces the flow and makes your unit work harder.

4. Keep the ceiling fans running

You don’t have to keep them running at high speed. Low speeds can push cooler air down in the summer and pull warm air up in the winter (just don’t forget to reverse the fan speed for each season).

5. Use a blanket

If you are cold, don’t run to the thermostat. Grab a blanket, sweater or hoodie to stay warm instead.

6. Keep your air condition unit clean

A few times a year, look at your a/c unit and remove leaves and other debris. Make sure you keep bushes and shrubs trimmed up. Your air conditioning unit needs proper air flow to work correctly.

7. Don’t close your vents

Believe it or not, you can save more money by leaving your vents open. The reason is that HVAC systems are designed to be balanced. When one of the supply vents is turned off (aka – closed), it can put a strain on the other areas, which can result in more energy consumption – not less.

8. Clean your filter

Change your air filter a few times a year. Don’t just do it when you get your unit serviced each fall and spring. One way to save money is to invest in two reusable air filters. Rather than throwing yours away, you can spray one clean and while it dries, put the other one in your furnace.

9. Run a fan

In the summer months, keep fans running in your house (in addition to ceiling fans). Doing so keeps the air flowing. We must do this in my son’s room as it is the one room that doesn’t cool very well, no matter the thermostat settings. We keep both his ceiling fan and small fan running, and it keeps it much cooler.

10. Make your blinds work for you

In the summer months, keep the blinds or curtains closed – especially on the windows where there is direct sun exposure. However, in the winter months, open them to allow the heat to flow into your house.

ELECTRICITY

11. Unplug items you are not using

Did you know that appliances still draw electricity when they are not in use? If you unplug that lamp or TV when you are not using them, you can cut down on your utility bill. We have a power strip that shuts down our TV, satellite dish and Bly-ray player when the TV is off. None of those draws juice when not in use.

Something as simple as leaving the television on when you are not in the room is wasting you (and the environment) precious electricity, which equals money. Get into the habit of shutting everything off when you leave the room; you can begin to save money.

12. Update your light bulbs

If you still have some incandescent bulbs in your house, consider replacing them with CFL or LED bulbs instead. These are much more efficient. (It takes a little time to get used to these, but once you do, they are no different than standard bulbs).

13. Put the natural light to work for you

Place chairs next to windows in your room and use the natural light for reading. In the winter, place furniture near the windows so the lighting can also provide heat to your seating.

14. Turn them off

When you leave a room, turn off the light. Turning a light on draws nor more energy than leaving it on. Therefore, turning off those lights when not in use is an easy way to save money!

15. Lower the hot water tank setting

Not only does this prevent burns, but it also saves money by not having to heat the water to higher temps.

WATER

16. Shut the water off

It may sound simple, but do you leave the water running when you brush your teeth? Why not shut it off when you are brushing and not actually rinsing? Don’t run the water continually when shaving or brushing your teeth

17. Faster showers

My son is guilty of this one! He LOVED his long showers. We placed a timer in the bathroom, and he knows that when that rings, he must finish up. A few times of us making him get out with soap still on his body has helped him learn how to take a quick shower. Try it yourself and see how much water you can save.

18. Use a brick

Put a brick or jar filled with rocks (make sure it has a lid on it) into your toilet tank so that less water is required to fill the tank. Invest in low-flow shower heads to reduce water usage while showering. Put an aerator on your kitchen faucet, which can save money on your water use.

19. Don’t water the lawn

While having a gorgeous green lawn is wonderful (I love mine too), a little brown won’t hurt. So, don’t spend hours watering your yard. If you have a sprinkler system, be sure that it has a rain sensor and doesn’t kick on when you’ve recently received moisture.

If you must water, do NOT water in the heat of the sun. Water in the very early morning (5:00 am if you can) as your precious water will not evaporate away. I’ll admit that by mid-July, a lot of my plants start to look a little wilted, so I will put some water on them from time to time, but it is certainly NOT a daily occurrence.

20. Check for leaks

Take time to check for any leaky faucets or toilets in your home. It may not seem like much water loss, but it doesn’t take much to create a gallon of wasted water, which is money you are pouring down your drain (literally). The cost for a new faucet will outweigh the cost of your wasted water.

21. Replace the shower head

22. Skip the bath

A typical shower will use about 7.5 gallons of water whereas a bath usually will take 20.

WASHING MACHINE / DRYER

23. Clean your lint trap

Make sure you clean your lint trap on your dryer frequently so that it will more efficiently and not draw as much energy. Lint is also a fire trap, so just one more reason to keep it clean.

24. Use cold water

Wash your clothes in cold water, if possible. You’ll save money as there will not be a need for the water to be heated.

25. Run full loads

Make sure the machine is full when running a load of laundry. It takes the same amount of energy to run a small load as it does a larger one. If you absolutely must, make sure to lower your water settings accordingly.

26. Don’t fill the machine too full

While a full load is important, you don’t want it to overfill it either. Your dryer can’t get the airflow to run properly if it is too full and your machine can’t thoroughly wash your clothes.

27. Extra spin cycle

If your washing machine has this feature, use it. Spinning the clothes a bit longer will remove more water and require less time to dry.

28. Consider an upgrade

If your machines are old, it might be time to consider trading them in a new, more efficient set.

29. Skip the dryer

Put up a clothesline in the backyard and line dry your clothes instead of using the dryer! If you don’t want to put small items on the line just toss them together to run the dryer once, and put everything else outside. (I LOVE the smell of line dried sheets).

DISHWASHER

30. Skip the pre-rinse

If you have a newer dishwasher, these are designed to actually break down the food particles left behind on your dishes. When you pre-rinse your dishes, you are wasting water (and money) since your dishwasher can do this for you.

Of course, that doesn’t mean you should leave large amounts of food on the plate. Just scrape off the excess food and then load the dishwasher and you’ll be set!

31. Run it during the night

Don’t run your machine during peak usage (which is after dinner). Turn it on as you head off to bed, or use the timer and have it run in the middle of the night.

32. Run full loads

Just like with your washing machine, your dishwasher uses the same amount of water and energy to wash a small load of dishes. Make sure the machine is full when you hit the start button.

33. Skip the heat dry

Don’t force the machine to heat the air to dry your dishes. Just let them dry naturally.

34. Watch for food

Even if you remove large pieces of food, there can be time small particles get caught in the trap. Remove and clean it at least once a month, so it runs efficiently.

FRIDGE/FREEZER

35. Keep it full

Your fridge and freezer work more efficiently if they are full. If your freezer is nearly empty, place gallon jugs of water inside of it, so it takes up space. If extremely empty, consider unplugging it.

36. Don’t overfill

I know, I know. I just said keep it full. However, don’t overfill it either. Air has to flow throughout your unit, so if you have to much food, it can no longer do so efficiently.

37. Keep the frost away

Defrost your freezer when you see excess frost building up. Your unit will work harder to keep items cold as the prevents this from happening.

38. Check the seal

Use a dollar bill and test the seal. Close the door with the bill sticking out a bit. Try to pull it out. If you can, then it is time to update your seal.

39. Check the temp

Keep the temp on your refrigerator set between 34 – 38. Your freezer’s temp should be around 0. There is no need to have the settings any lower than this.

40. Keep dust away

Make sure that you keep the dust out from under the fridge. If your unit has coils, keep them clean. Some units may have a front lower panel that is removable. Clean out this section too.

41. Allow for circulation

As tempting as it may be to push these up against a wall, ensure that the air can flow properly around the unit. Doing so helps them run much more efficiently.

STOVE/OVEN

42. Run the self-cleaner as soon as you finish baking

You’ve already heated your oven, so take advantage of that and run the cleaning cycle.

43. Don’t bake in the summer

During the summer months, nix the baking. Your oven will heat your home making your air conditioner work harder to cool it back down again.

44. Use convection

If your oven has a convection feature, use it! This feature helps circulate the hot air in the oven, which means you don’t have to heat it quite as high to bake.

45. Use glass or ceramic

Glass or ceramic baking dishes hold heat much better than metal pans. That means you can turn the temp down by as much as 25 degrees and your food will cook just as quickly. (The same applies to cooking with glassware on the stovetop too).

46. Double batches

If you are going to have the oven on anyhow, consider cooking in double batches. The bonus is leftovers for lunch!!

47. Bake thawed, not frozen

If your oven has to thaw and bake it, that requires more energy and usually, more cooking time. If possible, thaw anything you need to put into the oven before cooking.

48. Check the seal

Check the seal regularly to make sure it works well. If you find it is loose or broken, it means heat will be lost. Ensure the seal is cleaned and if it needs to be replaced, do so.

49. Use the oven to heat your home

During the winter months, leave the oven door open after baking. That is free heat that can be used to heat your kitchen.

MORE UTILITY SAVINGS IDEAS

50. Watch your bills

Review your bills for excessive use. Also, compare the meter readings to ensure that yours has been properly read and recorded.

51. Change providers

You might see if you can change energy providers. For example, North American Power can help you find a new company to provide your electricity. If you live within their service area, you can find an alternative energy provider, which can result in instant savings on your electric bill!

It is a simple change you can make, and the only thing you will notice is a reduction in your energy bill! At this time, they only service the following locations: Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, New Hampshire, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island.

52. Negotiate Your Rates

Believe it or not, it is possible to lower your monthly bills by negotiating with your utility companies. But, the trick is knowing what and how to say it. One way you might be able to do this (which is free for you to use) is a site like BillCutterz.

The way it works is really simple; you send them your bills for your phone, internet, etc. Their expert negotiators to work on your behalf. If they find savings, you will see it on your next bill. They do so at absolutely no charge to you. If they do find savings, they will split that with you 50/50. So, if they can save you $10, then they get $5, and you save $5.

53. Use budget billing

If you have been with your provider for at least 12 months, see if they offer this payment method. They divide your average usage for the past year to figure a monthly payment. This prevents you from having a $300 air conditioning bill in the summer months and helps with your monthly budget.

54. Add insulation

Have an expert come and inspect your attic to make sure you have the proper insulation. A small investment in insulating can result in big energy savings later.

I'm Tracie! Several years ago, my husband and I found a way to work ourselves out of more than $35,000 in debt. As a result of our journey, we now help families learn to do the same. I share my tips on life, family and finances - to help others achieve this same goal of living a debt free life! Learn more about me and my family HERE.

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